Shawn Fertitta, Executive Director, Oakland Business Improvement District
Oakland is widely considered the epicenter of the innovation happening throughout Pittsburgh. Located amid three major universities, the Oakland Business Improvement District (BID) is hard at work advocating for community improvements and doing its part to help business retention in the area. In an interview with Invest:, Shawn Fertitta, executive director for the Oakland BID, highlighted the improvements happening in the district and what makes the area a great place to live, work and play. “Everyone has identified the area as an opportunity, and now we are rallying to make it all happen,” Fertitta said.
What changes in the past year have most impacted the Oakland BID?
The Oakland Business Improvement District has been serving the area for approximately 25 years. Since I started as executive director in August 2024, we have been reflecting on all of our work and analyzing what is working, what are our strengths, and defining our priorities. We took the back-to-basics approach. A focus on rebuilding and further strengthening relationships with our stakeholders has been key, focusing on the priorities they say are important. Now we are taking this work and figuring out how we as a business improvement district can have a seat at the table and lift the economic development of Oakland, Pittsburgh, and the region as a whole.
What are the priorities identified for the BID?
Relationships are at the core of what we do. Building and strengthening relationships with our 250 property and business owners is key. By focusing on this, we can get to what is important to them. We went on essentially a listening tour of what our members wanted and needed to be successful within our area. A lot of it was focused on public safety and cleanliness. The beautification of the area and having a pleasant pedestrian experience is also key. Oakland is in the middle of three major universities and a major medical center. We have all of these major institutions surrounding our commercial district, featuring lots of restaurants and retail options. As a result, there is a lot of pedestrian traffic, so addressing factors such as crosswalks and accessibility is important. Pittsburgh is very hilly and there are steps everywhere, so addressing accessibility helps us make sure everyone can enjoy what we have to offer within the district. We are also working with the Oakland Transportation Management Association to connect Oakland with the tech economy hubs around the region.
We are addressing a host of challenges with the City and our partners, from beautification to infrastructure, so that everyone can enjoy their experience within the district. This also helps with factors such as tourism. The NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh in 2026, as well as the Carnegie International. Recently, the City hosted Picklesburgh, a whole festival centered around pickles, that brought it more than 250,000 visitors. As such, accessibility and public safety are key for daily living and working but also when it comes to hosting signature events.
What improvements have been made in terms of accessibility?
We have our One Step program geared toward increasing accessibility. We were offering mini-grants to business owners to adjust the one step into their spaces. If that wasn’t possible, they would be able to purchase a ramp. It is really rewarding to see the improved storefront spaces that feature the ramps. In some places, Oakland sidewalks can be very narrow. We are working with the business owners and helping them realize that there is an untapped potential in these improvements. There is an opportunity for improvement, which is something we are constantly evaluating and working with our business owners to address.
What makes Oakland an ideal place to live, work and play?
Oakland has always had this buzz to it. We are located among three major universities and you have to look at the talent that is coming out of those universities. We are among the top markets for startup companies coming out of these universities. We are constantly looking and strategizing on how to keep that talent in the area. Oakland has affordable housing. It has great access to healthcare. We have the universities that we can tap into for their talent. We have amazing cultural amenities. We have the Carnegie system of museums, such as the Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History, Soldiers & Sailors Museum, Phipps Conservatory, and a 450+ acre regional park. In Pittsburgh, we have the Andy Warhol Museum, the Science Center, and the Children’s Museum. All of these and more cultural institutions are compacted within Oakland. We are the most diverse neighborhood in Pittsburgh and a lot of this is attributed to all of the students who are here. We have a base for opportunities for businesses to start here and grow. We are now helping tackle the challenge of real estate that these companies will need. We have pockets of tech-based innovation throughout the region that originates from Oakland. We have great support from the university systems, as well as the local leadership. Everyone has identified the area as an opportunity, and now we are rallying to make it all happen.
What development activity is happening in or nearby the district?
We work with local partners, such as the Pittsburgh Innovation District, to actively identify areas for development. We assist with the business retention piece. Oakland is compact and there are not a lot of wide, open, available spaces. We are trying to stay creative. Currently we have approximately $3 billion in investments happening in Oakland. The Pittsburgh Innovation District is taking the lead in helping create and steer the development of multi-use spaces and we are supporting them in that process. We are fortunate that people want to be Oakland. There is a vibrancy to the area and the sense of being in the center of a little universe. We are working really hard to make sure that we maintain the sense of place that is inherent in the area.
